As-salamu Alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,
My name is Yasin and I am a first year medical student. My journey towards medicine has been shaped by both tragedy and triumph, from the horrors of war to the healing power of compassion and community. If I were to summarize my life in two verses, it would be:
وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ مَخْرَجًۭا (٢)
وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بَـٰلِغُ أَمْرِهِۦ ۚ قَدْ جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدْرًۭا (٣)
“And whoever is mindful of Allah, He will make a way out for them (2) and provides him (with what he needs) from where he does not even imagine. And whoever places his trust in Allah, He is sufficient for him. (3) (65: 2-3)
For growing up in Syria, we had no childhood boogeyman or ghost; rather, we had our government. The walls surrounding us could hear our democratic ideas and send us to prison. As my childhood abruptly shattered before me with the onset of civil war, I never imagined moving to the United States. I recall the race to catch up to my peers, having the Arabic teacher translate, and being tutored daily. I faced the challenges of immigrant households. At first, it was as a confused middle schooler referencing a dictionary and listening to audiobooks of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid.” As Greg chronicled his misadventures, I advanced my English while learning what being an American teen entailed. My persistence overcame the resistance of lingual and cultural barriers. I understood what it meant to be on the receiving end of care and welfare; and I was also blessed to further my education at top universities like the University of Michigan while volunteering across Muslim camps, mosques, and MSAs.
As I plant the seeds for my career in medicine, I chose ACC to be part of the water that helps me sprout. Allow me to be among your continuous charity where my halal rizq and education act as a vessel for Allah’s worship—working for my future family and the local ummah.
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